Wales Cap Numbers

Michael Owen had the distinction of becoming the 1,000th player to be capped by Wales when he made his debut against South Africa in the 1st Test of the 2002 summer tour in Bloemfontein.

Wales's No.1 cap was their first skipper, James Bevan, who led the team at Mr Richardson's Field, Blackheath on 19th February 1881. Born in Melbourne, Australia he became the first Welsh international on the register because there were no other players with surnames starting with 'A' or 'B'.

His unique position as Wales's first captain was honoured 126 years later when his name was given to a trophy to be played for between Wales and Australia; the 'James Bevan Trophy'; the trophy was first contested on Wales's summer tour of Australia in 2007.

It took 55 years for Wales to cap the first 500 players; that landmark going to Barney McCall of Newport against England in 1936. The next 500, climaxing in Michael Owen (then at Pontypridd), took a further 66 years.

Players are given a unique cap number by the WRU on their debut. This number is calculated alphabetically for those new caps picked in a team and then by time of appearance for replacements.

With less than 12 months until the 2019 Rugby World Cup, head coach Warren Gatland tells WRU TV where Wales are on the road to Japan, reflecting on the past 12 months and and looking ahead to what are his final months at the helm.

The Welsh Exiles programme continues to go from strength to strength. With a dramatic increase of non-Wales based players engaging in the programme over the last two years, it gives all players an opportunity to be involved in the Welsh pathway.

WRU group chief executive Martyn Phillips believes Wales have 'secured the best man for the job' as he announces Scarlets' Wayne Pivac as Warren Gatland's successor when the Kiwi steps down from his role as head coach after next year's World Cup.

"We're mindful that a lot of players did really well in the summer," Warren Gatland tells WRU TV as he explains his side for Wales v Australia this Saturday. Clywch o'r dyn ei hun am y tîm a ddewiswyd ar gyfer dydd Sadwrn.

Warren Gatland's side began their three-match summer tour with a 22-20 victory over South Africa in the humidity of Washington DC, but things are altogether different in Argentina with close on 25,000 fanatical Pumas fans expected to pack out the Estadio del Bicentenario for the first of two summer Tests against Wales.